Improvement in safety hitching devices for whiffletrees



J. S. EWAN.

Improvement in Safety-Hitching Devices for WhiffIetrees-L Patented Aug 20,1872,

Witness es. n 1/3022 tor.

v I l UNITED Ares JAMES S. EWAN, OF NORTH VERNON, INDIANA.

Specification forming part of Letters Patent No. 136,628, dated August 20, 1872.,

SPECIFICATION.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JAMES S. EWAN,'of North Vernon, Jennings county, in the State of Indiana, have invented Improved Safety Hitching Device for Whiffletrees, Shafts, Carriages, and Vehicles; and I hereby declare the following to be a full and exact description thereof, reference being bad to the accompanying drawing forming part of this specification.

The nature or essence of my invention consists in the particular construction, combina tion, and arrangement of devices forming the improved device described in the following specification and represented in accompanying drawing.

In the accompanying drawing, Figure 1 shows my invention adapted to the shaft of carriages or vehicles. Fig.2 shows it applied to the end of a whiffietree;

In Fig. l, A is a plate pivoted with screwholes, for the purpose of fastening it to shafts of carriages or vehicles. In the plate A the bent standard B is fastened to receive the holding-back strap, and also the strap that holds up the shafts. O is a plate hinged to the plate A, and provided with an open slot, D, so as to vibrate freely each side of the bent standard B. It is also provided with a stud, E, having a mortise in the upper end, so that when the plate 0 is brought down on the plate A the bent standard B enters the mortise in the stud E. To apply the straps to the bent standard the plate (3 is raised to carry the end of the stud E off the end of the bent standard B, so as to allow the straps to be hitched on the bent standard B. When the plate 0 is pressed down to plate A the end of the bent standard B enters the mortise in the end of the stud E; and to prevent the straps from slipping off the bent standard B the latch-lever F is swung across the end of the plate 0. The latch F is pivoted in or on the plate A, and provided with a hole in one end, in which a cord is fastened and led to the driver, so that when the horse runs away the driver can pull the cord and swing the lever F against the pin G and release the end of the plate (3, so that the draft of the holdingback strap will pull the stud E of the end of the bent standard B, thereby releasing the straps from the bent standard and horse from the shafts of the carriage.

Fig. 2 of the drawing shows my invention adapted to the end ofa whiftletree. The plate H is pivoted with a socket at its rear end to receive the end ofthe whiffletree. The plate J ishinged to the plate H and provided with an open slot, K, and has its rear end bent to fit the socket on the whiffletree, when it is shut down. The stud L is fastened to the plate J to. hitch the trace on. After the trace is hitched on the plate J is pressed down on the plate H, so as to bring the mortise in the stud L on the end of the bent standard M, which holds the trace on the stud. The bent standard M is made in form shown in drawing, and fastened in the plate H. The latch N is fastened to the top of the whiffletree, so as to swing around over the bent end of the plate J to hold it down and hold the mortise in the stud L on the end of the bent standard M. The lever N has a hole in the end to fasten a cord in, by which it is led back to the driver, so that when the horse runs away the driver may pull the cord and swing the lever N around and ing-lever F, all substantially described, for the purpose set forth.

JAMES S EWAN.

W'itncsses:

DAVID ONERMYER, CALEB WHITMORE.

ATENT OFFICE. 

